Golf club



I. E. SEXTON Dec. 24, 1940;

GOLF CLUB Filed Sept. 1, 1938 Wifinesa Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to golf clubs, and more particularly to an improvement in devices of this character by virtue of which the shaft may be rigidly and securely locked to the head in such a manner that it may be replaced if desired without the necessity of rebuilding the club.

Those skilled in the art are aware of the fact that certain suggestions have been made heretofore for detachably connecting the shaft of a club to a head, and that such suggestions fall into two general classes, first, quickly detachable devices which are intended to permit interchangeability of heads with the same shaft, and which have all failed in practice due to the inability of such constructions to secure the necessary rigidity of connection between the head and shaft, and the second class of devices which, although they accomplish rigidity of connection, 20 require a complete modification of the orthodox structure of head and shaft, with cumbersome connecting devices which interfere with the balance of the club and easily get out of adjustment.

According to the present invention the shaft of the club engages the hosel and head with a tight gripping fit due to the close reception of the tapered shaft end within a correspondingly tapered bore extending through the hosel and head. The tapered fit between the shaft and head throughout a substantial length of the shaft due to the extended hosel provides the necessaryrigidity of connection between the two members. 9' Intersecting the shaft bore is a transverse opening in which is seated against lateral play a shaftgrip'ping device having an opening aligned with the bore and embracing the shaft which passes therethrough. This device is provided with a clamp accessible from without the club which may be moved into and held in rigid gripping relation to the shaft in such a manner as to permanently prevent even slight movement of the shaft longitudinally. By virtue of this construction, although the shaft is rigidly locked to the hosel and head, nevertheless it may be released and withdrawn from the bore with a minimum of effort and time and replaced when desired.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1 represents a section in elevation of a head and connected hose] with a shaft received and clamped therein; and Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating a plan view of the shaft-gripping device removed'from the open- 9 ing in which it is normally seated.

Referring more particularly to the connection shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the head of the club is indicated at l0, and is provided with a rearwardly extended hosel l2 fashioned in accordance with the usual manner of wooden clubs, so-called. The hosel and head are provided with a shaft-receiving bore [4, extending lengthwise of the hosel to the bottom face I 6 of the head. This bore is intersected by a transverse opening l8 for the reception of a gripping device, the opening emerging at approximately the junction of the hosel and head and passing somewhat beyond the shaft bore, as indicated in Fig. 1. Received within the bore and having a press fit engagement therewith is a tapered shaft 20, the lower end of which is normally flush with the bottom face of the head I6. This shaft is engaged by a gripping device 22, which comprises generally a circular or generally cylindrical base portion 24 fitting the transverse opening and having an extended embracing portion 26 provided with an opening 28 which is normally aligned with the bore when the gripping device is in the operative position shown in Fig. 1. In actual practice the gripping device is first inserted in the opening and the shaft 20 is then forcibly pressed into the bore, passing through the circular opening 28 during the process.

The gripping device is provided with a movable clamp 30, having a concave shaft-engaging face 32, and provided with a pin and slot engagement 34 with the base to permit limited sliding move- I ments of the clamp, but to avoid turning movements thereof. The clamp is engaged and moved by an actuator 36 in the form of a threaded member engaging with a threaded opening 38 in the base, and having a non-circular recess 40 sunk in its end to permit engagement and turning by any suitable instrumentality.

It will be evident that with this construction the gripping device having been positioned in the transverse opening, the shaft inserted and forced into tight fit with the bore, the clamp may then be actuated from without to rigidly grip the shaft and prevent any dislodgment or even slight withdrawal within the bore. It will be evident furthermore, that with this construction the shaft whenever desired may be readily removed by first releasing the clamping device to permit free withdrawal of the shaft within the gripper, and thereafter dislodging the head from the tapered shaft and removing. If desired to remove the clamping device bodily, this may be readily accomplished by withdrawing the threaded member 36 and inserting the threaded end of a bolt or the like which will furnish a purchase for forcibly withdrawing the gripping device in its entirety.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club, comprising a head having a tapered shaft-receiving bore and a transverse opening intersecting the bore, a tapered shaft closely fitting within the bore, a gripping device seated in the transverse opening comprising a base portion which closely fits the opening against lateral movement, an encircling portion having an opening aligned with the shaft bore and embracing the shaft, a movable clamp which engages and rigidly grips the shaft to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft relative to the gripping device, and a threaded actuator accessible from without the head to move the clamp into and out of gripping relationship.

2. A golf club, comprising a head having a tapered shaft-receiving bore and a transverse opening intersecting the bore, a tapered shaft closely fitting within the bore, a gripping device seated in the opening and consisting of a base portion which fits the opening, a portion aligned with the shaft bore to receive and embrace the shaft, a movable clamping portion having a pin and slot connection with the base, and an actuator accessible from the outside for forcibly moving the clamp into gripping relation with the shaft.

ISAAC E. SEXTON. 

